


a song of rock and roll

by space_writer



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Game of Thrones Fusion, F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-21
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2019-11-27 05:21:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18190298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/space_writer/pseuds/space_writer
Summary: *a game of thrones college au*Nymeria is in her third year at King's University and she had finally gotten a hold on her life. Working two jobs, living next door to the gorgeous Robb Stark and playing lead guitar in a band...everything  seems to fall into place. That is, until college transfer, Jon "Snow" Stark shows up...





	1. a campus tour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nymeria meets Jon and takes some students on a tour of King's University.

Jon Snow opens the apartment door to find the source of a rather impatient knock: a girl, his age, wrapped only in a towel, carrying a plastic shower caddy and some clothing in her hand.

 

“You're not Robb,” she observes.

 

Jon stares for a second, unsure of how to respond. “Not the last time I checked, no.”

 

The girl rolls her eyes. “I don't have time for this.” She marches past Jon, who finds himself mesmerized by the girl, with the multi colored streaks in her hair and the strange constellation outlined on her shoulder blade, and subsequently unable to stop her from inhabiting Robb's bathroom and locking the door behind her.

 

Sighing and taking a seat on the couch, Jon’s mind becomes swarmed with thoughts. _I just let a complete stranger into Robb's apartment. Is she a thief? Maybe a drug dealer? He'd never seen anyone at Northside like her…_

 

And just like that, the girl reappeared, this time fully dressed with her hair slightly damp. Taking a few steps to reach the kitchen, she examines Jon, pausing only to open the fridge and pull out some leftover Chinese food. The girl grabs a fork and starts eating, while leaning against the counter in order to face Jon. “So, which Stark are you?” she questions in between bites.

 

Jon stiffens a bit. “I'm not a Stark.”

 

“Ah,” the girl says. She sets down her food and crosses her arms. “You must be Jon.”

 

“Who are you?” Jon asks, getting up. “Are you even allowed to be here?”

 

Before she can respond, the apartment door opens and Robb steps in, a box of donuts in hand. He sighs. “Oh God, who let you in?”

 

“You can blame Mr. Not-A-Stark for that,” she answers, sending a cheeky wink in Jon's direction. She moves closer to the door to steal away a single donut and cup of coffee from Robb and plants an exaggerated kiss on his cheek on her way out, grabbing a jacket from the coat hanger by the door. “Thanks for breakfast and the shower!” she calls as she walks away.

 

Robb sighs again, however Jon can't help but notice the slight smirk on his face. He closes the door behind him, throwing his keys on the coffee table and setting their breakfast down on the small kitchen counter. “I guess you've already met Nymeria, then?”

 

* * *

  


Sansa Stark stands on the campus field, surrounded by six other incoming freshman. The group has been waiting for 5 minutes for their tour guide to arrive. Then, a girl rushes in, dressed in a dark blue shirt tucked into skinny jeans, chunky black combat boots and a leather jacket. “Hey everyone,” she greets, breathless. “Sorry I'm late, but I promise no more let downs. At least not from me, today,” she jokes. “Now, before we start the tour, I thought it would be a good idea to go around the group and offer each other short introductions. Honestly, you never know where you'll meet your best friends, and I know from personal experience, that you can meet the best people in the weirdest circumstances. So without further delay...My name is Nymeria and I've been here for, wow, I guess this would be my third year. I'll save you from my entire life story, but feel free to chat with me later on, about my experience here or whatever. Right now though, the spotlight is supposed to be on you guys.” Nymeria asks, looking around the circle. She nods her head towards Sansa, who stares back at her blankly.

 

“I'm not sure what to say,” she finally utters.

 

“You can start with your name,” Nymeria suggests. “Maybe where you're from, and one fact about yourself that you'd like to share.”

 

“Well, alright,” Sansa starts. “My name is Sansa. I'm from a city up North, called Winterfell. And I come from a relatively large family. I've got my mum and dad of course, then I've got a sister, three brothers and a half brother.”

 

Nymeria smiles. “I knew your eyes looked familiar,” she announces, referring to their infamous blue eyes, the ones as clear as the sky and as reckless as the sea. “You're one of Robb's sisters?”

 

“Yes.” Sansa returns Nymeria's warm smile and allows some of the nerves to flutter away.

 

“It so happens that I've got loads of stories to tell you, about your brother, that I'm sure you'd love to hear,” Nymeria adds.

 

“Are you done yet?” another voice interjects. The boy is blonde, with grey eyes and a stiff posture. He looks as though he rules the campus, and it's only Orientation day. “My name is Joffrey and I grew up at Casterly Rock. That’s in the South, for those who are ignorant of our country's geography. My family is the donor to the university,” the boy reveals smugly.

 

“Well, Joffrey, if you're a Lannister, then you are correct. However, for those who are ignorant of our university's history, we receive donations from plenty of families, including, but not limited to, the Starks, the Tyrells and the Targaryens,” Nymeria counters. She relishes in the shocked look on Joffrey's face for a moment before continuing on. After five more introductions, Nymeria decides to move on with the tour. “Now that we know each other a little better, I would like to personally welcome to King's University. Where we're standing right now is a location we around here have nicknamed ‘King's Landing’. Does anyone have any idea why?”

 

“Because it's the central area of campus?”

 

“Good guess, Loras, but no,” Nymeria answers. She points to the building to her right. It's architecture is stunning, mostly thanks to the exposed stone and crown molding that forms it. “We've given this nickname because this is where the administration is and where the student government meets. And, trust me when I say this, it is sometimes a bloodbath in there. Now, if you're not too keen on potentially getting your head cut off, there are other ways to get involved in university life. This is a good opportunity to explain the house system, which at first seems extremely complicated and confusing, but you'd get used to it. We're big on school spirit here, and of course the admin believes that a little friendly competition never hurt anyone. There are four main houses: the wolves, the dragons, the stags, and the lions. You'll find out later this week which one you'll be a part of. Mostly these houses are about community, so it's likely that your first year roommate is in the same house, and there will be some functions held by your house leaders. Any questions?”

 

Seven hands shoot up. Nymeria sighs internally. _This is going to be a long morning,_ she thinks.

  


Around noon, Nymeria has finished showing the students around. She guided them through the classrooms, most located in a building the locals call “the Citadel”, the dining hall, also known as Harrenhal, and some of the housing, which includes Dragonstone, the place Nymeria resided in her first year. “Alright then. I hope you all learned something on this tour. Classes start tomorrow, so do not be late,” Nymeria jokes, causing everyone to chuckle. “You have some time now to do whatever you want, and remember you can contact me is you want or have anymore questions. Good luck with your first year!”

 

The crowd around Nymeria disperses, talking amongst themselves and drifting away. She notices that Joffrey and Sansa are talking, something that immediately set off her big sister instincts. There's no way that Nymeria would let Robb's sister become close to someone that arrogant, self centered--- Nymeria's thoughts are interrupted by her phone vibrating in her back pocket.

 

_Call from: KING IN THE NORTH_

 

“Hey, you done yet?” Robb's voice questions through the receiver.

 

“Uh, yeah just wrapping up.”

 

“Well then, get over here! We can use the extra practice time.”

 

“Alright, alright. I'll be there soon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you made it this far, thanks for reading! i appreciate any feedback or comments <3


	2. a new bandmember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new member is introduced in the band, and Nymeria is not too happy about it.

When Nymeria knocks on the door to Robb's  second apartment later that day, she looks more like herself, now wearing one of her vintage concert tees tucked into ripped jeans, twirling her lucky guitar pick in her left hand. Their apartment complex was one of the nicer ones around campus, and when the band formed in second year, Robb offered to rent out the basement, which was essentially a loft, just big enough for practice, storage and relaxation if need be. Plus, being underground and enclosed in insulation meant no complaints from neighbors.

 

After knocking a second time, Nymeria presses her ear to the door and, upon hearing music, decides to reach above the door frame to grab Robb's spare key. She's told him a number of times that leaving a key there is ridiculously imbecilic, considering the value of what’s stored inside, but Robb never listens.

 

Opening the door, Nymeria walks into the living room, a space they mostly cleared for practice, save for a small, but functional, seating area right in front of the counter that blocks of the kitchen. Everyone stands with their instruments right in the middle of the room: Gendry on the drums to the left, Margaery at her keyboard to the right, and Robb standing with his bass guitar in between. Nymeria's spot next to him is empty, her guitar resting in the corner.

 

“Look who decided to show up,” Gendry scoffs, playfully.

 

“You started without me?” Nymeria says to her bandmates, the question sounding more like an accusation.

 

“You can't expect us to always wait for you, Ny,” Margaery reasons.

 

“She's got a point, princess,” an unfamiliar voice adds. “The world doesn't revolve around you. And we were sitting here, twirling our thumbs for twenty minutes before you bothered to show up.”

 

Nymeria turns her attention towards the redhead standing aside, where she went unnoticed. “And you would be?”

 

The redhead walks up to Nymeria, her guitar in hand. She stops only inches away from Nymeria, sizing her up. “My name is Ygritte,” she introduces dramatically. “Your new guitar player.”

 

Nymeria raises her eyebrows in disbelief. “Sorry, you must be in the wrong apartment. We've got no need for another guitar player.”

 

Ygritte laughs a bit. “Really, princess? I've no doubt I'm in the right apartment. Just ask him,” Ygritte suggests, pointing at Robb.

 

“I'm not a princess,” Nymeria asserts. She moves closer to Ygritte. “And I can assure you, that this four person band does not need a fifth.”

 

“Nymeria,” Robb interjects. He sets his bass down, then wedges himself between Nymeria and Ygritte, but his focus remains on the former. “Can we talk to you for a second?”

 

Reluctantly, Nymeria follows Robb to the bathroom, both Gendry and Margaery tagging along. They close the door gently once they're inside. The bathroom is cramped, definitely not equipped for four, but emergency band meetings took place whenever needed and wherever possible.

 

“What the hell was that?” Nymeria demands.

 

“We didn't tell you because we knew you wouldn't agree, but--” Margaery starts.

 

“Yeah, no shit,” Nymeria interrupts. “I don't see the point of adding a second guitar, when the first one is perfectly fine.”

 

“You're more than that and you know it.”

 

Nymeria scoffs. “Do you know it?” she challenges.

 

“Don't be an idiot, Ny, of course we do,” Robb admits. “But, honestly? She's one of Jon's Northside friends and he swears she's amazing--”

 

“Of course he does. And what does he know about good music? Nothing?”

 

“Okay, but if you take a step back and think about it all the best known bands have two guitarists,” Gendry adds. “KISS, Metallica, The Clash.”

 

“Rush, Pink Floyd, The Ramones,” Nymeria counters. “Plenty of iconic bands that have only one guitarist.”

 

“The Velvet Underground,” Margaery continues. “Guns and Roses, Fleetwood Mac.”  

 

But with each two guitarists band stated, Nymeria thinks of another with one guitarist. “Nirvana, Mötley Crüe,The Police.”

 

“AC/DC, Pearl Jam,” Gendry pressures. “The Beatles.”

 

Nymeria simply continues to provide her evidence, one band after another. “The Doors, Green Day. Zeppelin.”

 

“Look, we can do this forever, but at the end of the day, all that matters is that The Knights of Westeros live on with the rest of those names,” Robb states.

 

“And you seriously think that adding another member is the way to do that?”

 

The three nod. Nymeria sighs and closes her eyes.

 

“I'm still not convinced it's the right way.”

 

Robb grabs her hand to turn her towards him. She opens her eyes; he tilts his head and smirks. “It’s the right way. Do you trust me?” he whispers.

 

“Now look who's the idiot,” she whispers back. Nymeria turns to the rest of the group. “Fine, I'll give her a chance. But, she has to audition before we make the commitment. We need to see if she matches our sound and our energy.”

 

A sudden bang on the door breaks up their meeting. “Are you done or you're too busy shagging?” Ygritte booms.

 

Nymeria opens the door and leans against the doorframe, her other three bandmates peering over her shoulder in the back. “When's the soonest you could show us what you've got?”

 

“Well, I was ready today, but waiting around has put me out of the mood,” Ygritte sasses. She secures her guitar in its case and starts out the door. “Tomorrow. Be ready right away, or I'm out the door again.”

 

Nymeria resists the urge to roll her eyes until the redhead is gone. “And she calls me princess,” she scoffs, walking across the practice space to the fridge. She throws a can of beer to Gendry and Margaery, then pulls the final two out for her and Robb. “We're out of beer,” Nymeria announces.

 

She opens a cupboard and grabs a bag of pretzels. Nymeria seats herself on the arm of the couch, Robb and Gendry with their feet on the table next to her, and Margaery sitting cross legged at the end of the couch. Nymeria opens the bag of pretzels, takes a few for herself and passes it down.

 

“So, what now?” Margaery asks.

 

“We get another couch,” Gendry suggests, throwing a pretzel in his mouth. “Or at least a bean bag or something.”

 

“We see if it works out with Ygritte,” Nymeria offers. “And if it doesn't, well, I'll try not to say I told you so.”

 

Margaery throws a pretzel at Nymeria, causing Robb to laugh and subsequently Nymeria to glare at him.

 

“So, what does the King in the North have planned for this year's orientation week?” Nymeria asks, changing the subject.

 

“Oh God, don't remind me,” Robb groans. He's the leader of the Wolves, who reside on the North region of campus, hence Nymeria's nickname for him, and he sits on the planning committee for house activities. “It's a wonder anything gets done with all the arguing.”

 

Gendry sighs. “Just please none of those stupid house bonding games,” he pleads. “People can become friends on their own time, regardless of their house. I mean look at us. Two Stags, a Wolf, and a Dragon. Came together against all odds to save the world with our killer sound.”

 

“You make it sound like we didn't meet at the bar on karaoke night, drunk off our asses,” Robb points out. “And no, there won't be any stupid house bonding games. Just friendly competition between houses.”

 

“Dany tells me that this year might be the best one yet,” Margaery adds. She's referring to Daenerys Targaryen, leader of the Dragons and Margaery's girlfriend. “And that the rest of the houses better be prepared to lose.”

 

“You hear that, Robb?” Nymeria teases. “The Wolves will have to bend the knee to the Dragons.”

 

Robb smirks. “Maybe, but not without a fight.”  


* * *

Hours, and a couple beers later, the four are lying around their makeshift living room. Robb and Gendry are debating over the best way to make grilled cheese while Margaery braids Nymeria's hair.

 

“Have you decided on a colour yet?” she wonders, maneuvering one strand over the next repeatedly.

 

Nymeria tilts her head up so she can meet Margaery’s gaze, who is sitting on the couch above her. “Nope. Still can't decide. And honestly, I kind of like it this way.” A while back, Nymeria vowed to dye her hair some colour of the rainbow, but instead of choosing just one, she coloured several strands in different colours.

 

When she takes a look at her watch, Nymeria notices the time. “Shit, I have to go,” she announces. “Happy hour starts soon. I'll see you all later.”

 

And she rushes out to get changed for work.

* * *

Although it was a Sunday, the bar was still bustling with college students. Working at Westeros Pub was sometimes a pain, but Nymeria admits that there is never a dull moment.

 

After mixing a couple drinks for Renly Baratheon and Loras Tyrell, Nymeria notices a flash of red hair. She moves from behind the counter to get a better look, and sees Ygritte talking to none other than Jon. Deciding that it would be better to have friends than enemies, Nymeria walks up to their table. The two are so caught up in their conversation that they hardly notice her approaching.

 

“Come on, Jon Snow,” Ygritte coaxes. “You know you want to. Especially since you loved it so much last time”

 

Nymeria wonders whether or not she would be intruding, but the embarrassed, and frankly uncomfortable, look on Jon's face suggests that an intrusion might be just what he needs.

 

“Uh, sorry to interrupt,” Nymeria lies. The two turn their attention to her. “I just wanted to apologize for before, Ygritte. I was unfair to treat you like that. Just know that your audition tomorrow will be judged by all of us, with no prior prejudices.”

 

Ygritte scoffs and gets up from her seat. “Why thank you, princess. I know that must have been hard for you,” she mocks. Then, before walking away, she looks back at Jon. “I'll see you later, Jon Snow.”

 

With Ygritte's presence gone, Nymeria feels her defenses come down. She takes Ygritte's place next to Jon. “I'm Nymeria, by the way,” she starts. “Seems like we didn't give each other a proper introduction this morning.” Nymeria holds out her hand.

 

“No, I guess we didn't,” Jon chuckles. He grabs her hand and shakes it. “Jon.”

 

The two leave their hands clasped together, until Nymeria pulls away and clears her throat.

 

“I guess you weren't exaggerating before. You really aren't a Stark.”

 

Jon laughs bitterly. “Legally, I'm a Stark. Logically, I'm a Stark because my father's a Stark. But, growing up in the Stark household just made me feel like an outsider.”

 

“So, why Snow?”

 

“Uh,” Jon stutters. He clears his throat as his cheeks turn red. “It's a long story.”

 

Nymeria smiles. “I've got time.”

 

“Nymeria,” Petyr Baelish, Nymeria's boss, calls. “I don't pay you to sit around and talk to the customers!”

 

“Looks like you don't,” Jon notices. “I'll give you my number and we can talk later.”

 

“Very smooth, Jon Stark,” Nymeria laughs as she slides out of her chair. “Here.”

 

She gestures at him to give her his hand, and with a Sharpie, she writes her number down. “There,” Nymeria proclaims. “I'll see you later, Jon Stark.”

 

Before she walks away, Nymeria turns around. “You know, whatever the story is, I think that Jon Snow has a better ring to it,” she admits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks sm for reading! im really excited about this story and hope others enjoy reading it as much as i enjoy writing it. lmk what you think in the comments!


	3. a late night snack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nymeria comes home from work to find a friend.

Nymeria's shift ends at around two in the morning and, while the campus is practically dead, she opens her apartment door to find Robb busy in the kitchen, having put on a Pink Floyd record.

“I don't care what Gendry says,” he declares from the stove. “This is the proper way to make a grilled cheese.” Robb emphasizes his point by flipping the sandwich over and letting it sizzle. “How was work?” 

Nymeria just lets out a deep sigh and leans against the counter next to the fridge. 

“That bad?” Robb deduces. He turns off the stove, places the grilled cheese on a plate and cuts it in half. Silently, he moves towards Nymeria and slides the plate in between them. 

“Not really. Baelish is just a creep, and working for him is a pain.” She picks up a half of the grilled cheese and starts eating. 

“If it's any consolation, you're thriving at your other job,” Robb offers. “Sansa told me you gave a great tour this morning.” 

“I'm glad she enjoyed it. I enjoyed meeting her,” Nymeria admits, grabbing the other half of the sandwich. “You know, spreading butter on the top surface of each slice of bread, then grilling it, actually makes the sandwich become perfectly golden brown,” she informs in between bites. 

“I cannot believe that I took all this effort to make you a nice snack for when you came home from work, and called the landlord to come fix your shower, only for you to align yourself with my enemy,” Robbe feigns offense. “Besides, with my recipe, you avoid greasy fingers. That way you can multitask. Practice and have a light snack.”

“You really are a master of strategy,” Nymeria chuckles and finishes her sandwich. “And I have to admit you make a killer grilled cheese.” 

Then, she wipes off any crumbs on her jeans and moves towards the sink to rinse the plate.

“Look, you know I appreciate everything you do for me. Besides, if anything, I'm aligning myself with Jaime Oliver because I learnt that trick from watching the cooking channel.”

“Next late night snack is on you then, Chef Nymeria,” Robb smiles lazily. 

Nymeria rolls her eyes. She goes into her bedroom to quickly change out of her black jeans and tank top into basketball shorts and an oversized sweatshirt. Walking back into the living room, she moves to sit on the couch next to Robb, who is already dozing off. 

“Robb?” 

“Hm,” Robb hums, eyes still closed. 

“Why are you really here?” 

Reluctantly, he opens his eyes and sighs. “You know how much I love you, right?”

“Robb…”

“And how much you love me is no doubt the same,” he continues. “So please, please don't kill me when I ask you this: will you be my date to my uncle's wedding this weekend?”

“Oh, um”, Nymeria considers it, but is, truthfully, much too exhausted to think it through. “Because you were kind enough to feed me before asking for a favor, I'll do it.”

Robb let's out a sigh of relief, suddenly finding his energy again, before standing up and moving towards the door. Before leaving, he says: “Get some sleep, Ny. We're meeting downstairs at 11am, and I've got to do some stuff for Orientation before it starts at 1, so please don't be late.”

 

When Robb walks into his own kitchen the next morning, he finds Nymeria, cooking her way towards a delicious breakfast. 

“Morning, pretty boy,” she greets. 

“And you're here because?”

“Because, I wanted to cook my best friend some breakfast to repay him for my late night snack. Is that too much to ask?” She gestures towards the counter before her, and Robb takes a seat.

“Ny, you already agreed to be my date for my uncle's wedding.”

“Okay, fine. I was craving pancakes and I had nothing to make them with,” she admits. “But, while I was taking a luscious shower early this morning, I realized something.”

“What?”

“Well,” Nymeria picks up the maple syrup and begins drenching her pancakes, then leans over to do the same with Robb's. “You said the wedding was this weekend?” Robb nods cautiously. “The same wedding you already begged the band to play at, free of charge. So, I asked myself, why in the world would you need a date?”

Robb sighs and takes a couple bites of his breakfast before answering. “My mate Theon always rags on me for going to these sort of events without a date. I figured that showing up with a super hot girlfriend who so happens to be super talented would shut him up, at least for a little while.” 

“Look, I appreciate your flattery, but--”

“Ny, there will be free food and drinks, and you'd get to meet my family. I know weddings aren't your scene, but we'd have fun. Please?”

Nymeria rolls her eyes. “Fine,” she declares in an exaggerated tone.

“Yes! Thank you! You're the best. And these pancakes are pretty great too.”

“I'm glad you enjoyed them,” Nymeria laughs. “But I'll have you know, I got the recipe from Gendry.” 

Robb gasps and throws down his fork. “Treachery!” 

“Against the King in the North? Unlikely.”

 

Later that afternoon, Nymeria is standing on a makeshift archery range, representing the Dragons in the shoot off. Beside her stands Ygritte, representing the Giants. Although not a prominent house, the Giants were energetic and wild. 

Nymeria had to admit, when Ygritte auditioned earlier, she was pleasantly surprised. Ygritte played “Everybody Wants To Rule the World” by Tears for Fears, one of Nymeria's favorites, and the band harmonized perfectly. The vote was unanimous to allow her in the band. Although, Nymeria still sensed tension between them.

“Scared, princess?” the redhead taunted.

“Not particularly, no.” 

When the contest began, the competition was tighter than expected, but Nymeria still pulled the Dragons through to victory for archery. Not that she expected any different. 

 

During the closing ceremony, where all the winners of each competition are announced, along with the overall winning house, Nymeria manages to catch Robb's eye. He winks at her cheekily, to which she blows him a kiss. 

“You're really good,” Jon declares. Nymeria hadn't even notice him approach. “At archery, I mean.” 

“Thank you,” Nymeria smiles.

“I was wondering if maybe…..if you're free. Do you want to---”

“Alright, Jon Snow, you can take me out for a drink now,” Ygritte interrupts, completely ignoring Nymeria, and the fact that Jon was probably, definitely, about to ask her out.

“Nym!” Dany exclaims excitedly, rushing towards her friend. “We won! A dragon victory!” 

The two join their house in celebrating their victory, but Nymeria's attention is somewhere else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOT edited sorryyyyy just wanted to get this out!! hope you enjoy :)


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